Singapore is one of Southeast Asia's most popular travel destinations — and for good reason. With a land area of just 719 square kilometers, an excellent public transportation system, and a predominantly English-speaking population, it is an easy entry point for beginner travelers.
The city-state is also a cultural melting pot, having attracted a diverse range of settlers throughout history thanks to its status as a major transportation hub. This confluence of cultures adds a unique flavor to its architecture, food scene, and cultural sites.
Because the country is so small, hitting the highlights within a few days is easy. Our five-day itinerary below will guide you through the best of Singapore, from Changi to Sentosa.
Day One: Singapore City Tour
The best thing to do on your first day in Singapore is to orient yourself in the city. Changi Airport offers a free city sights tour that takes you through City Hall, Merlion Park, and Marina Bay Sands in two and a half hours.
However, this tour might not be your best option if you want time to settle into your hotel before exploring. Instead, consider one of the following:
- Big Bus Tours: The Singapore Hop-on, Hop-off Bus Tour is one of the easiest and most flexible ways to get around the city. A ticket entitles you to a ride on any of Big Bus Tours' vehicles, which take you across Singapore's most iconic landmarks. You can get off at any stop and board any bus, so long as you stay within the timeframe of your chosen ticket. Notable stops include Suntec City Tourist Hub, Marina Bay, Clarke Quay, Orchard Bay, Kampong Glam, and Chinatown.
- Singapore DUCKtours: The original Singapore Duck Tour takes you through both land and sea using a retrofitted WW2 amphibious vehicle. The tour lasts sixty minutes and passes through the Marina Bay Harbor, Marina Bay Sands, Gardens by the Bay, Esplanade Theatre, and more. English and Mandarin guides are available.
- Lion City Bike Tour: For a more physically engaging experience, try the Lion City Bike Tour. Thanks to the city's preference for public transportation over cars, Singaporean roads are relatively cyclist-friendly, paving the way for tours that provide more interactive, ground-level views of the city. The Lion City Bike Tour lasts four hours and passes through typical tourist attractions, such as Marina Bay, Singapore River, Merlion Park, Chinatown, and Little India. One of the highlights of this tour is getting to cycle through the famous Formula 1 track.
If you want to DIY your first-day tour, we recommend visiting the following locations.
Merlion Park
Merlion Park is home to the Merlion Statue, a fountain depicting Singapore's half-lion, half-fish mascot. The park, situated on a pier, overlooks the Singapore River.
Chinatown
The historic district of Chinatown features narrow streets winding between cultural buildings. Pay respects at one of its many temples, or hit the food stalls for authentic cuisine. If you're interested in nightlife, check out Ann Siang's wide selection of bars, restaurants, and clubs.
Clarke Quay
The best way to end your first day in Singapore is to visit Clarke Quay. This former colonial-era trading hub overlooks the Singapore River and teems with waterfront establishments, from restaurants to museums to historic buildings. Take a riverside cruise, visit some cultural sites, or enjoy the nightlife at one of the area's many bars and clubs.
Day Two: Marina Bay Immersion
While most tours will offer glimpses of the iconic Marina Bay Sands Hotel, the Marina Bay area is worth further exploration. The area comprises 3.08 square kilometers of reclaimed land and holds some of the city's most iconic landmarks, including the Singapore Flier, Gardens by the Bay, the Esplanade, and the Marina Bay Sands Hotel.
Gardens by the Bay
Gardens by the Bay is Singapore's most famous urban park. It covers 1.05 square kilometers and hosts over 1.5 million plants from around the world. There are a number of different areas you can visit, including:
- Supertree Grove: The Supertree Grove holds the Gardens' famous supertrees – 50-meter canopy-like structures decorated with lights and hanging plants. You can view the supertrees up close through the skyway or catch a light-and-sound show at night.
- Heritage Gardens: The Heritage Gardens aim to educate visitors about the botanical history of Singapore's major populations. The four main areas are the Indian Garden, the Malay Garden, the Chinese Garden, and the Colonial Garden.
- Cloud Forest: The massive Cloud Forest is an indoor garden featuring a vast array of exotic plants, from ferns to pitcher plants to Venus flytraps. You navigate the garden through a vast network of aerial walkways.
- Flower Dome: Gardens by the Bay's Flower Dome is an indoor conservatory designed to hold exotic plants, with dedicated exhibitions for Australian, Californian, Mediterranean, South American, and South African plants. It has the Guinness record for the largest glass greenhouse.
Esplanade
The durian-shaped Esplanade is Singapore's national performing arts center. It hosts a diverse range of performances, including music, dance, and theater.
If you don't have a show to catch but want to appreciate the building's unique architecture, buy a ticket to one of Esplanade's guided tours. These tours last roughly one hour and guide you through the building's vast array of performance halls, providing insights into history, cultural context, and architectural choices.
ArtScience Museum
If you're feeling brainy, visit Marina Bay Sands's ArtScience Museum. It hosts a wide selection of immersive exhibitions centered on art, science, and technology. The museum regularly hosts partnerships with other organizations, so exhibitions tend to change year-round.
SkyPark Observation Deck
The only part of Marina Bay Sands Hotel open to non-guests is the SkyPark Observation Deck, a massive, boat-shaped platform connecting the hotel's three buildings. At fifty-six storeys high, it offers a breathtaking view of the city, including the Spectra Light and Water show.
Non-peak hours run from 10:00 AM to 4:30 PM, while peak hours are 5:00 PM to 10:00 PM. For a more intimate experience, consider the Sunset in the Sky program, which is a ticket package that includes a guided tour, priority access, exclusive seating for better views, and complimentary chocolates and drinks by Wolfgang Puck.
Day Three: Explore Sentosa
No Singapore trip is complete without a visit to Sentosa. The artificial island resort is home to many attractions, namely amusement parks, beaches, museums, and thrill rides.
We recommend booking an overnight stay at one of Sentosa's hotels. This way, you'll get to immerse yourself in the island more thoroughly.
Below, we list the top attractions to visit on your first day in Sentosa.
Universal Studios
The iconic Universal Studios Singapore barely needs an introduction. This massive park is divided into six themed areas: Hollywood, New York, Sci-Fi City, The Lost World, and Far Far Away. It features twenty-eight rides, attractions, and shows based on popular I.P.
Since the park is so large and queuing for attractions can take a while, we recommend reserving your whole day for the park, which opens at 10:00 AM and closes at 5:00 PM.
S.E.A. Aquarium
Asia's third-largest aquarium houses about 100,000 individual animals from over 1,000 aquatic species, from sharks to sea dragons to exotic coral. It aims to inspire concern for marine life conservation through immersive learning experiences and intimate animal encounters.
Palawan Beach
If you want a mix of relaxation and excitement, Palawan Beach is a great place to spend your day. Retreat to idyllic shores or enjoy one of the beach's thrilling attractions. Available activities include:
- HydroDash: A floating aquapark that offers obstacle courses of varying difficulty.
- HyperDrive: This indoor go-karting circuit blends track racing with virtual reality.
- UltraGolf: Singapore's premier mini golf destination features 18 holes spread across a vast beachside course.
Day Four: Singapore Nature Sights
Day four is a great time to catch up on Sentosa's smaller attractions. A few unique sites include:
- SkyPark Sentosa by AJ Hackett: Thrillseekers will love this beachfront activity center, which features two bungees, a 45-meter giant swing, and a 47-meter high sky bridge.
- Skyline Luge Singapore: Southeast Asia's most famous luge ride boasts four unique trails that take you from the heights of Sentosa's hills to its coastline. Board the open Skyride for an aerial view of the island.
- iFly Singapore: Experience a guided indoor skydiving in a 56.5-foot-tall glass wind tunnel with views of Siloso Beach.
After leaving Sentosa, head back to the city and check in to your hotel. We recommend spending your fourth day exploring Singapore's nature parks. Two of the best places to visit are the Singapore Botanic Gardens and the Singapore Zoo.
Singapore Botanic Gardens
This UNESCO's World Heritage site provides a nice breather from the hustle and bustle of the city. It is 0.82 square kilometers of sprawling tropical landscapes, with smatterings of gardens, galleries, museums, and educational centers spread out across.
Volunteers provide free guided tours every Saturday. However, the type of tour changes per week.
| 1st Saturday of the month | Gallop Extension Tour Healing Garden Tour Rain Forest Tour |
|---|---|
| 2nd Saturday of the month | Guided Exhibition Tour |
| 3rd Saturday of the month | Heritage Tour Learning Forest Tour National Orchid Garden Tour |
| 4th Saturday of the month | Race Against Time |
Singapore Zoo
Singapore Zoo is one of the most popular zoos worldwide, thanks to its 'open concept' environment. Its biodomes aim to mimic real-life animal habitats, which gives the zoo a freer and more natural appearance. The animals in Singapore hail from a wide range of locations, including Australia, Asia, and Africa.
Aside from animal exhibits, Singapore also offers many interactive activities. You can watch an educational presentation, feed your favorite animals, or learn about the zoo's conservation efforts.
Night Safari
The Night Safari is another way to experience exotic animals in Singapore. This open-air zoo is only open from 7:00 PM to 12:00 AM and takes visitors across six geographical zones via tram or walking trail, allowing them to view nocturnal animals in a seemingly natural setting.
Day Five: Explore Changi
Situated next to the Changi Airport, the Jewel Changi Airport complex is an experience in itself. Before you depart Singapore, consider enjoying one of the many activities Jewel Changi has to offer.
Canopy Park
This indoor park features many recreational activities, including artistic slides, flower displays, cloud simulations, and topiary walks.
- Walking Net: Test your balance and fortitude by crossing the Changi walking net, a rope web suspended 25 meters above ground, with a view of the Changi shopping mall.
- Mirror Maze: The mirror maze is precisely as the name suggests – a kaleidoscopic maze of glass mirrors decorated with bowers of greenery.
- Hedge Maze: If the mirror maze isn't your style, test your wit by navigating a winding hedge maze that leads to an indoor watchtower.
Jewel Rain Vortex
At the center of Jewel Changi Airport lies the Jewel Rain Vortex, the world's tallest indoor waterfall. Water flows down from seven storeys (or 40 meters) up, framed by a round glass ceiling where sunlight filters through. The vortex also runs a light and sound show starting at 8:00 PM.
You can also explore the Shiseido Forest Valley, an indoor garden that circles the rain vortex. Its walkways traverse multiple levels, taking you through a wide array of plants and art installations.
Shopping
Jewel Changi is a great last-minute shopping stop. The complex has five levels above ground and five basement levels, each teeming with local and international shops.
Singapore is an easy country to navigate. A five-day itinerary gives you enough time to hit the highlights at a relaxed pace!
For more travel recommendations, refer to the Cool Travel Vibes blog.